Automatically-controlled stock-watering trough.



No. 648,952. Y Patented May 8,1900. J. H. HANSON;

AuToM'ATlcALLY cuNToLLEusTocK wATEmNG TnouGH.

(Application led Dec. 21, 1899.)

(No model.) 2 Sheets-sheet l."

f@ MMM No.'648,952. Patented May 8, |900.

` J. H. HANSDN.

AUTDMATICALLY GUNTROLLED STOCK WATEBING TBUUGH.

(Application led Dec. 21, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

if WW,

NITED STA-Tes PATENT Prion.

JOHN H. HANSON, OF OAKLAND, NEBRASKA.

AUTOIVITICALLY-CONTROLLED STOCK-WATERING TROUGH.

SPECIFICATION forming part 'of Letters Patent N 0. 648,952, dated 'May 8, 1900.

Application iiled December 21, 189i).v Serial No. 741,090. (No model.)

will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in automatically-controlled stock-watering troughs; and ithas for its object to improve the construction generally of this class of devices and to render their operation automatic and sure. One object of theinvention is to provide an improved form of watering-trough with a removable false bottom so arranged that the trough can be readily and quickly cleaned, which is a very desirable feature in devices of this type.

Anotherpurpose of the invention is to provide a novel form of valve adapted to regulate and control the flow of water to the trough in such manner that the trough will always be supplied with a certain predetermined amount of water, but will not overflow.

It is a still further purpose of the invention to provide means for easily and quickly draining the watering-trough, supply-pipes, and valve-chamber to prevent freezing and at the same time shutting off the supply of water to these parts, this operation being efected through the medium of a three-way cock.

To these and other ends the invention comprises the features of construction and combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described in detail and then more definitely pointed out in the claims which conclude this specication.

In order to enableothers to understand, make,and utilize my said invention,I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made for this purpose to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of a portion of a water-supply tank, showing my improved valve-regulating means located therein and also showing the watering-trough .in section and communicating therewith.

l Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. Sis a' perspective view of one of the removable 'false-bottom sections. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the three-way cock. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of one of the 'adj ustable supports for the float-valve. Fig. 6 isa detail perspectiveview of a part of the watering-trough shown removed. Fig.' 7- is a side elevation of the complete watering apparatus shown connected to a. water-main.

In the drawings, Fig. 1, I have illustrated my invention in connection with a supplytank; but I wish it here understoodthat the same may be employed in connection with a water-main or other suitable source of watersupply without departing from the spirit of my invention, the supply-tank being chosen simply for the sake of illustration. v

Referring to the drawings, the referencenumeral 1 designates a supply-tank that can be kept supplied with water from any suitable source, and within this tank, near the bottom thereof, is located a water-chamber comprisin g a lower cylindrical section 2, having a circumferentially-iianged upper edge 3 anda depending tubular extension 4, forming a valve-chamber,'which' communicates with the water-chamber through an opening y5. The said tubular extension tis provided with an inlet-pipe 6 at one side and a removable plug 7 at the bottom. The top ofthe water-chamber comprises a cylindrical dome 8, havinga circumferential Iiange 9, which rests upon the flange 3, and the parts are then firmly bolted together, with an interposed gasket of leather or rubber to form a water-tight closure. The lower section ofthe water-chamber is preferably pr'ovidedwith a side bracket'lO, by which said chamber may be secured in position within the tank 1, and leading fromthe lower part of the chamber at one side is an outletpipe 11, which extends through an opening in the side of the tank and leads to the watering-trough hereinafter referred to and which may be located at any convenient or desired place.

Within the valve-chamber, below the opening 5, is 4a sharp-edged valve-seat 12, against which seats a valve 13, said Valve being supported by means of a stem 14., having an adjustable threaded connection at its upper end with a nut 15, which is pivoted at opposite IOO sides to a bracket 16, secured to the under side of a iioat 17. The said stem 14 is guided and held in a true ver-tical position by means of a guide 18, secured to the bottom of the water-chamber, and the float 17 is supported against downward movement in an adj ustable manner by means of extensible metal supports, formed, preferably, from ductile metal loops 19, the opposite sides of which are bent toward each other, as shown at 20, leaving a flat top 21, upon which the valve may rest on its limit of downward movement. These ductilemetal supports' may be readily adjusted by bending them up or down until the proper point is reached to give the necessary drop to the lioat which will regulate the movement of the valve to and from its seat, while the threaded connection of the stem 111 with the nut l5 will enable the lengthening and shortening of the connection between the stem and ioat to ad-r just the latter to regulate the depth of water desired in the trough.

Communicating with the pipe G,leading into the valve-chamber, is a pipe 22, having atubular extension 23, set at an angle of about forty-live degrees, said extension being provided with a iaring end which is covered by a screen 24, said tubular extension being open to receive water from the tank 1 through the screen, as will hereinafter appear. By disposing the extension 23 at an angle, as described and shown sedi ment will not be likely to collect on the screen, which would tend to choke or clog the same. Ata point intermediate the pipes 6 and 22 I provide a valve-casing 25, within which is located a three-way cock or valve 26, having a straightway port 27, which may be brought into position to open up communication between pipes 6 and 22, and is also provided with a branch port 2S, arranged at right angles to and intersecting port 27, which may be brought into communication with adrain-pipe 29, leading from the threewayvalve chamber 25 and discharging to the outside of the tank, where the waste or drain water may be conducted away, as desired. It will be understood that when the straightway port 27 is in communication with the pipes 6 and 22 the. branch port 2S will be closed, as shown in Fig. 4, allowing the water to liow through said pipes into the valve-chamber -i and water-chamber, and when the branch port 28 is caused to communicate with the drain-pipe 29 the inlet-pipe 22 will be closed and the pipe G opened, allowing the waterin the trough,water-chamber,valve chamber and pipe 6 to flow back and out through the said drain-pipe 29. be seen that I am enabled with a single three, way cock and a single set of pipes to supply water to the water-chamber and trough and also to drain these parts with efficiency and despatch to prevent freezing and for cleansing purposes.

In order to operate the three-way cock, I provide the same with an angular socket 30, into which maybe inserted an operating-rod It will thus 31, having an angular head 32, shaped to lit said socket. The said rod is guided into the socket by means of a flaring or cup-shaped mouth 33, which will cause the rod to easily find its way home, and in order to readily center the rod in position over the said flaring mouth I have provided a guiding loop or bracket 31 above the mouth, said bracket being bolted at its ends to the water-chamber, as shown. I provide these devices in case it is desired to use a removable operating-rod for the valve; but it will be understood that I may, if desired, employ a permanently-attached operating-rod.

Myimprovedform of trough, which I will now describe, comprises a cast-metal. body portion 35, of preferably the form shown, the same being provided with rounded corners and flaring sides to facilitate cleaning. This trough may be located at any desired place, either within the barn or outside, and supported in any suitable manner, or it may be attached directly to the tank, and it has communication with the latter by means of the pipe 11, heretofore referred to, which pipe may be and preferably is inclosed by means of a larger pipe 3G, providing an intermediate air-space to protect the said pipe 11 against freezing. Across the top of the trough, at the middle, is a plate 37, provided upon opposite sides with depending wings 38, and journaled or pivotedin lugs or brackets 39, struck up from said plate, is a swinging support 30, carrying a strainer 311 at its lower end, which normally covers the open end of the pipe 11. The operation of this swinging support is to allow the strainer to move forward during the ini-low of water through the pipe into the trough, but to lie closely over and cover said pipe when the trough is being drained, thereby preventing sediment, straw,or other refuse from flowing back into the water and valve chambers, which would be likely to clog these parts. In order to more readily clean the drinking-trough and remove the sediment therefrom, I have provided the same with two removable bottom-sections 10, made to fit the bottom o'f the trough and each comprising a pan or tray having a perforated top 41, which top does not completely cover the tray, as will be seen, spaces 42 being left at two or more side edgesvto facilitate cleaning. By means of these removable trays the trough can be easily and quickly cleaned, thus providing pure water for the stock at all times and with little trouble.

`I have heretofore stated that the waterchamber and valve mechanism may be connected directly to a water main or pipe instead of being submerged into a tank, as shown, and when used in this manner the extension will be. dispensed with and the pipe 22 connected directly with the water main or pipe, as shown in Fig. `7.

The operation of the device is as follows, assuming that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, in which the float-valve is IOO IIO

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648,952 v v s" closed and the three-way cock turned to allow the water to low through the same and through the pipes 22 and 6, the water-chamber and trough being supplied with water to the required level, which is regulated and,

- determined by the adjustment of the floatvalve. Suppose now that an animal should drink a quantity of water from the trough. The water-level in the trough and water-chamber will immediately fall, causing theY float to gradually drop and the valve to open, which allows an additional inliow of water into the water-chamber and trough until the determined water-level'in these chambers or parts again reaches the. normal, when the l'loat will again rise, drawing the valve to its seat and shutting 0E the further inliow of water, which operation is repeated every time any Water is taken from the trough through the act of drinking or otherwise drawing off the Water. If now it is desired to drain the trough, water-chamber, valve-chamber, and pipe 6 to prevent freezing or forv cleansing purposes, the three-way cock is' turned so that the branch port registers with the drainpipe and communication with the Water-.sup-

ply pipe 22 is closed. The water will then iiow back from the watering-trough, valvechamber, and intermediate pipes or passages and out through the said drain-pipe, where it may be conducted away to any desired place. l

The valve-seat l2 of the float-valve is comparatively sharp, and the action of the valve 13 thereupon serves to cut o tender growths, While the swirling of the water passing through the port or ,opening 5 acts to remove such growths, thereby insuring an absolutelytight closing of the valve. The said valve extends slightly beyond lthe sharp-edged Valve-seat, and thus `furnishes a grasp for the receding waters to aid in opening said valve when draining begins.

In constructing the water-chamber I prefer to form a central depression 2a in the bottom thereof around the port or opening 5, which is designed to catch and hold sediment,

. if any such should work into the water-chamber, such sediment being again taken up and carried back into the trough with the water when the same is admitted. The retlow of water in draining being much slower than the inflow, sediment is likelyto lodge in the water-chamber instead of working into the drainage-pipe, and I have lthus provided the depression 2 to catch such sediment and hold it in the water-chamber, where it will be held temporarily until the inflow of water again takes place, when it will be carried by the Water back into the trough.

l. In an apparatus for watering stock, the combination with a water-supply pipe, of a trough supplied with water from said pipe, means controlled by the water for automatically regulating the ow of the latter to the tially as and for the purpose described.

2. In an apparatus for watering stock, the

combination with a water-'supply pipe, of a Water-chamber, a valve-chamber, a wateringtrough communicating with said water-chamber, a vvalve in the valve-chamber, a float in the'water-chamber, a stem connecting said valve and float, and an extensible support for the float, substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus for watering stock, the combination with a water-supply pipe, of a water-chamber, a watering-trough supplied from said water-chamber, a valve controlling the flow of water into said water-chamber, a drain-pipe communicating with the watersupply pipe, and a three-way cock located at the point of connection ofthe drain-pipe with the water-supply pipe, substantially as described. I

4. In an apparatus for watering stock, the combination with a water-supply pipe, of a water-chamber, a watering-trough supplied from said water-chamber, a valve controlling the low of Water into said chamber, a drainpipe communicating with the water-supply pipe, a three-way cock located at the point of connection of thedrain-pipe and water-supply pipe and serving to alternately direct the flow of water through these pipes, a socket IOO ing end disposed at an angle of about fortyive degrees, ascreen covering the open end of said pipe,a water-chamber, a wateringtrough supplied from said water-chamber, and a valve controlling the flow of water to said chamber, substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus for watering stock, the combination with a water-supply pipe, of a water-chamber, a float-valve controlling the i'low ot'water to said chamber, a wateringtrough, a pipe leading from said water-chamber to the trough, a swinging screen normally .resting over the end of said pipe in the trough, a drain-pipe communicating with the watersupply pipe, and a three-way cock located at the point of connection of the drain-pipe with the water-supply pipe, substantially as described. y

7. A watering-trough provided with removable trays having perforated tops, substantially as described.

8. A watering-trough provided with removable trays each having a perforated top, with elongated openings around the edges thereof to facilitate cleaning, substantially as described. v

9. In a watering-trough, a combined water IIO IZO

plates located Within the trougll upon opposite sides of the screen, substantially as described. 1o

In testimony Wh ereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN II. IIANSON.

inlet and outlet pipe, entering said trough, and a, swinging screen normally resting,` over the open end of said pipe, substantially as deseribed.

5 10. In combination with a Watering-trough,

t combined Water inlet and outlet pipe enten Vitnesses: ing the saine, ft swinging screen normally rest- VICTOR L. FRIED, ing over the open end of said pipe, and guard- JOHN J. MCCOURT. 

